Facing west "down" upper Tullow Street we have on the left of
this picture Mrs Hynes Grocery and Confectionary shop, it was at one
time Merdith's Bakery before passing to Dan Hogan who established a
Provision shop here, it was later owned by James Brennan. Adjoining
Hynes we see Noud's Grocery shop and sub-Post Office, which closed
in 1979. The shop and post office was run by the Noud sisters, Mary,
Rita, Alice, Eileen and Angela, two of whom were school teachers. in
the mid 1800s Richard Paul had a Grain / Provision shop here , he
also had a brewery in the large stores at the rear of the building.
The name McElhoney in cast-iron lettering can be seen over the door.
McElhoney settled in Carlow in 1897, he was married into the Noud
family and worked in Doyle's of the Shamrock, where the letters for
his sign were made in Doyle's forge. On the right of the picture is
Staplestown Road and on the left is Pollerton Road.

Source: Mr Michael Purcell

The Shamrock stands at the cross roads of
Barrack Street, Tullow Street, Green Road and Staplestown Road and
is know locally as "Top of the Town". Images below are from Google
Street View.

Looking down Tullow Street

Looking up Staplestown Road

Looking up Green Lane

Looking down Barrack Street

The Shamrock 2008
before the fire.

Source: Google Street
View

The Shamrock 2010
after the fire.

Source: Google Street
View

Another view of The Shamrock

Source: W. Muldowney
c.2006

The Shamrock Plaza c.2009

Image courtesy of P. Walker

Doyles of the Shamrock.
Image by Dermot
O'Brien

The Fishbourne townhouse at the Shamrock
was demolished in the 1980s by Michael
Doyle to extend Doyles' of the Shamrock hardware store.

Today the area forms part of the entrance to
the underground car park of the Shamrock Plaza building and the
adjoining "Leaning Man" street sculpture.

There is a picture on the Carlow site of the
townhouse. The picture was published originally as picture # 21 in
"Carlow in old picture postcards" Volume 1.

(see below).

The
Fishbournes lived for a period at Staplestown House, Carlow. During
their time in Carlow they lived in various houses situated
throughout the county.

I was informed recently that the income from
the "Ground Rents" associated business collected on behalf of the
Fishbourne Estate totaled over 5,000 euro for 2010.

#21. The top of Upper Tullow Street, known as The Shamrock. This
picture was taken in October 1913 when John Dillon M.F.
arrived to deliver a Home Rule speech. The man in uniform leading
ihe horse is Johnnie Power, he hired out char-a-banc cars. On the
left of the picture is the public house of Dinny Mullane. Dinny had
a notice displayed stating that he would pay £100 to any customer
who could contradict his claim that all his whiskies were seven
years old. The large building facing us was formerly the town house
of the Fishbourne family built in 1782. in 1913 it was the 'Shamrock
Hotel'; the shop in front of the house was a grocery and public
house, to the rear were a hardware store, steam saw mill,
coach building workshop, joinery works, and iron-foundry,
collectively known as 'Doyle's of the Shamrock'. The banner on the
right reads: 'Ireland Sober is Ireland Free', appropriately enough
it led the Graiguecullen Temperance Band.